Improvement in traveling-trunks



delitti 5ta-ttt HARRY HUBBARD EVARTS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 111,830, dated February 14, 1871; antedated February 4, 1871.

.IMPROVEMENT IN TRAVELING-TRUNKS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that I, HARRY HUBBARD EvAnTs, of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Traveling-Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

Nature of Invention.

This invention consist-s iu the construction and arrangement oi' the trunk as lhereinafter set forth, whereby the wood-work is firmly dovetailed together, and bound by metallic end pieces, and -a suitable bottom is produced, with upright ends, which serve as a guide and stay to the cover.

General Description.

In the drawing- Figure l is a perspective View of' the trunk with the cover thrown open. l

Figure 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the trunkbody. V

Figure 3, a perspective view of one end of the same.

Figure 4, a perspective view ot one end ot' the removable bottom.

A A represent the sides, and

B B, the ends of the trunk-body; and

A A B B', the correspondingr parts oi' the cover.

These parts are firmly dovetailed together at the ends, asv shown at a c, fig. 3; and in such a direction as to resist strain outward at the ends.

After being dovetailed, each end of the body and cover is encompassed by a metallic end piece or plate, C.

This is composed of bars b b 11 b, forming the four sides, and flanges c c c c, which project over and lap onto the thickness of the wood.

The top flanges of the body-plates and the bottom flanges of the cover-plates cover the thickness of the edges ofthe wood, so as to form the abutting surfaces when the trunk is closed.

rIhe bottom anges of the body-plates also project inward to receive the trunk-bottom, as will presently be described. The metallic plates are firmly secured to the ends ofthe trunk by means ot screws (l (l inserted from the inside through the ends B B', with the heads countersunk in the wood, as clearly shown in tig. 2.

The above-described construction oi' the ends of the trunk constitutes one feature ot' my invention.

The dovetailing unites the parts much more effectively than nails or screws, while the metallic plates bind them together with flanges overlapping the whole end.

The screws inserted from the inside do not show has end pieces E E dovetailed into the bottom, simi? larly to the body and rcover of the trunk, except that it is in such a direction as to hold.v in line with said end pieces, as clearly shown in tig. 4. l

These end 'pieces of the bottom rest against the ends oi' the trunk, to which they are 'secured by Q screws, thus forming a double thickness and staying the bottom; and thereby I claim a special advantage, as, by reason of' its double thickness, it guarantees the end of. the trunk, ,where the greatest strain and violence comes in handling and transportation. The grain also crosses at-right angles, which gives additional strength.

The end pieces E E project up above the trunk` body a distance equal to the depth of the cover. The latter, in closing, shuts down just outside the projecting ends, which thus serve as guides. They also serve as stays to hold the cover in place and keep it from rocking; and, furthermore, they cut oil` the joint between thc body and cover, and thus prevent the loss of small articles. They also enable the tuunkto be packed above the level oi' the top of the saine before closing the cover. They also prevent any lateral motion ot' the cover, by which the hinges or lock may be broken.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The bottoni D, resting on the flange C, and formed with pieces E united thereto, and rising from the interior of the trunk, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The end pieces E, united to bottom D, and rising internally from said bottom against the sides of the trunk to the top'of the llid A', substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The flanges O, project-ing inwardly' beyond the side pieces B, for strengthening the trunk and supporting its bottom, substantially as and for the purpose described. p

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY HUBBARD EVARTS.-

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, Gno. W. MIAT'r. 

